Wednesday, November 26, 2025

You Too Can Become An Expert

ICMS, Inc. Reports

By , Ph.D

Did You Know That ...Learning is best accomplished when there is a need and the desire for the learning, and when it is built upon former learning and knowledge. This article encourages you to learn all that you need to know in your chosen field, so you too can become an expert …Now You Know!

~ Dr. Tom Okure

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This article helps readers understand the process of learning, from being a novice in their field of endeavor to becoming an expert.

Introduction

Human development involves a foundational process of learning, but not all learning results in . Expertise requires a deliberate and structured process that transforms basic knowledge and acquired skills into a high level of proficiency. This article explains how learning develops gradually into expertise.

Stages of Learning

The journey from beginner to expert typically passes through several stages:

1. Novice: A learner, often termed a novice, is an individual new to a task, skill, or situation who lacks the necessary experience. At this phase, the individual has limited or no experience. The individual heavily relies on rules and instructions, and supervision to complete tasks.

2. Advanced Beginner: A beginner advances with increased knowledge, experience, and repetition, enabling the individual to start recognizing patterns so simple tasks can be independently handled. Nevertheless, progression in the acquisition of necessary skills still depends on guidance at this stage. Supervision is essential because even though the individual understands basic concepts, they lack the overall perspective to overcome complex and unfamiliar situations.

3. Competent: At this stage of learning, the individual has acquired sufficient skills to unentangle complex problems and identify workplace hazards through repetitive training, action, supervision, and feedback. The individual can handle tasks and make decisions based on experience and a deeper understanding of the subject area.

4. Proficient: Repetitive training and practice lead a person to proficiency. At this level, individuals become highly skilled and capable of seeing situations holistically, can prioritize effectively, and adapt to changing circumstances. A proficient learner is an individual who can connect their learning to real-life complex situations.

5. Expert: A person becomes an expert in his or her field of endeavor when they have gained sufficient and comprehensive knowledge of the required skill in a particular area. This allows the individual to operate intuitively by drawing on their extensive experience. They recognize subtle nuances and can innovate within their field.

Major Factors in Developing Expertise

· Deliberate Practice: Expertise involves frequent goal-oriented practice that is very focused, not simply routine repetition. There must also be feedback, both positive and negative, which helps to refine skills to overcome incremental challenges.

· Deeper Knowledge: Becoming an expert means gaining a deeper mental understanding that connects concepts, which can be applied flexibly in various situations.

· Experience: Experiences accumulated over time allow the expert individual to recognize patterns and intuition to handle difficult challenges.

· Learning Is Continuous: An expert stays updated within a chosen field of endeavor to gain new information needed to maintain optimal performance to adapt to changes.

The Importance of Feedback, Mentorship, and Apprenticeship

Learning is accelerated through constructive feedback from a mentor or technical expert you are studying with, who identifies areas for improvement to reinforce effective strategies. The Mentor offers guidance, motivation, and insights derived from years of practice and real-world experience, enabling learners to overcome challenges on their path to expertise.

Concluding Remarks

You turn leaning into expertise through the process of deliberate practice and repetition, where you apply what you studied or the knowledge you acquired in a real-life situation, incorporating feedback and tackling new, more complex, similar situations successfully.

Dr. Tom Okure

Building foundational knowledge involves a cycle of practicing repeatedly until acquired skills become automatic and ingrained in your knowledge base, enabling you to comfortably meet and overcome limitations in your current abilities. Repetition moves one from a detached, analytic learner to an involved, intuitive expert is a long-term, iterative journey.

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Expertise is achieved through a process of dedication to practice, deep understanding, real-life experience, and continuous reflection. The key point to note is that anyone can gain new skills, but achieving expertise or becoming an expert demands dedication, resilience, and a focused attitude to learn continuously.

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Thank you!

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All rights reserved by Tom Okure, Ph.D. CEO of Inter-Continental Mgt. Systems, Inc. (or ICMS Inc.). ICMS, Inc., is a multifaceted business and management consulting firm with its head office in Albany, New York

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Why many Nigerian banks have stopped accepting landed properties as collateral.

Why have many Nigerian banks stopped accepting landed properties as collateral, especially in Abuja and Lagos?

A Must-Read: Think 🤔 About It!

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Preamble: Copied and posted below as received (Source & author unknown)

Disclaimer: Article shared by Tom Okure, Ph.D., for education and information purposes only.

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If you’ve been online in the last 24 hours, you must have seen that trending video

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike is having a heated clash with some Nigerian soldiers over a land property in Abuja.

Now, most people are just laughing and dropping memes…

But if you truly understand money, you should be thinking deeply.

Because that single incident yesterday explains why banks in Nigeria no longer accept land or buildings as collateral, and why so many businesses are quietly dying.

As your Financial Literacy Advocate, let me break it down in plain language

Imagine:

Mama Ngozi owns a piece of land in Abuja.

She built a nice plaza on it and has tenants paying her rent every month.

One day, she goes to the bank to get a ₦200 million loan to expand her business.

She submits her land documents as collateral.

The bank officer smiles and says:

“Madam, we can’t take this land o… what if the government revokes it tomorrow?”

Mama Ngozi laughs, “Ah! How can the government revoke my land when I have C of O?”

But just yesterday, we all saw what happened.

The FCT Minister drove down to revoke a land, and soldiers stood their ground to defend it.

Both parties claimed “ownership”.

Now imagine if that same land was already used as collateral in a bank…

Tomorrow, the government can wake up and say this land belongs to them or to the military, or it was wrongly allocated, or it’s under revocation.

The moment that happens, that land becomes worthless paper.

And guess what?

The bank loses.

The business owner loses.

The economy loses.

That’s exactly why most Nigerian banks have stopped accepting landed properties as collateral, especially in Abuja and Lagos.

The risk is simply too high.

Sit down, let me mentor you on the Implication You’re Not Seeing

Every time a government revokes land, cancels allocations, or disputes ownership, it quietly destroys:

Business confidence

Access to credit for entrepreneurs

Investor trust in real estate

When land ownership is unstable, the economy loses its foundation.

Because land is supposed to be the strongest form of collateral, but in Nigeria today, it has become the weakest.

Now that you get it....

As your Financial Literacy Advocate, it's my duty to educate you on What Smart Investors Are Doing Now

Rich people don’t wait for the system to frustrate them; they adapt.

Instead of using land as collateral, they are now using financial instruments like:

Mutual Funds and Equities

These assets are recognized globally.

Their ownership can’t be revoked by any government minister or soldier.

And when you walk into a bank with ₦100 million worth of Federal Government Bonds, the bank manager will stand up to shake your hand, because your bond is a risk-free asset.

Land is visible wealth, but financial instruments are transferable power.

The poor still measure wealth by “how many plots” they own, but the rich measure wealth by what they can liquidate in seconds, not what they must fight the government to defend.

So next time you see Wike and a soldier fighting over land, don’t just scroll past and laugh.

Look deeper.

Because that video is not just politics, it’s a reflection of the fragility of our collateral system.

And that, my friend, is why financial literacy is no longer optional.

In a country where the government can revoke land overnight, the smartest collateral you can hold is trust-backed, government-guaranteed assets, not land certificates.

The rich already understand this.

The question is, will you learn before it’s too late?

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Friday, November 14, 2025

Entertainment "Sit Outs" in Nigeria

In Focus: Entertainment "Sit Outs" in Nigeria

ICMS, Inc. Reports

By , Ph.D

A distinguished son of the Annang nation in Akwa Ibom State has a rich pedigree and an enviable resume.

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One of Nigeria's favorite "Sit Out" delights is with various toppings, which

Barbecued Smoked Catfish With Toppings

constitutes a full meal for two to four people. Sit-outs are everywhere in all Nigerian states and the .

Ibeno Beach Sit Outs In Akwa Ibom State

Sunday in Nigeria is recognized by all ages as the day to unwind and ease body stress and tensions built up during the week due to work, school, and business-related activities. A popular way of entertainment on Sunday is to hang out with friends and family members, in an open-air sit-out to eat, drink, and enjoy local favorites like , , , and barbecue grilled meat and fish. Sit-outs are especially popular in the evenings and

nights and become crowded with customers who are there to eat, drink, and listen to popular by popular Nigerian artists.

Many cities in , including , Uyo, Abak, Eket, Ikot Ekpene, etc., have renowned and favorite sit-out spots that a visitor to town who wants to be entertained must visit while visiting the city. Sit outs are a great place to dine or simply relax with friends, drinking beer in the open refreshing evening air and enjoying music, live band, etc.

Please share your favorite "Sit Out" spots and experiences in Nigeria, especially in Southern states like Abia, Rivers, Anambra, and especially Akwa Ibom state, in cities like Uyo, Abak, Eket, Oron, and Ikot Ekpene, etc., and state or let's hear in the comments section why you would recommend it to a tourist or Nigerian visiting visiting home.

Popular Sit-Out Spot in Abuja FCT

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The Japanese Are Unique When It Comes To Cleanliness, Apprenticeship and Industry

The Japanese Obsession With Cleanliness, Apprenticeship, and Industry

ICMS, Inc. Reports

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We can draw valuable inspiration from the Japanese approach to education and industry. For instance, school children in Japan take an active role in maintaining their classrooms, fostering a sense of responsibility and teamwork.

Japanese school children cleaning their classroom

The Japanese educational and industry system emphasizes collaboration, continuous improvement, and a strong work ethic.

Characteristics of the Educational System:

Holistic Development Approach: Focuses on moral education, academic achievement, and physical fitness.
Group Learning Approach: Teamwork is emphasised, and collective problem-solving is encouraged from an early age.
Standardized Curriculum Approach: National guidelines provide educational consistency across schools, with a strong emphasis on mathematics and science.
Entrance Examinations Approach: Emphasis is placed on high-stakes entrance examinations to determine access to prestigious high schools and universities, creating and maintaining a competitive environment.

Japanese Industry Practices:

The Kaizen Philosophy: Emphasis is placed on continuous improvement in industry, which is central, promoting incremental changes for efficiency and quality.
Lifetime Employment Security: Japanese culture expects companies to provide lifetime job security, which fosters loyalty and long-term commitment.
Consensus Decision-Making: Group consensus is emphasized in making decisions, leading to slower but more inclusive outcomes.
Employee Training and Development: Companies invest heavily in training to ensure a skilled workforce that adapts to rapid technological developments.

Cultural Characteristics:

Respect for Authority: Hierarchical structures in both education and industry reflect cultural traits of respect and discipline.
Community Cohesion: A strong emphasis on community is emphasized, and individuals are expected to contribute to society, thus influencing both educational goals and corporate social responsibility.

These societal and cultural traits make Japanese society unique in many ways and are perhaps responsible for Japan's reputation for high-quality education and efficient industrial practices, even though it currently faces challenges related to an aging population and the need for innovation in a globalized economy.

Japanese Apprenticeship Programs

Their rigorous apprenticeship programs, which can last several years, equip individuals with exceptional skills and expertise, ultimately leading to the production of superior engines and cars that excel in the global market.

Japanese apprenticeship programs are not just about learning a skill but absorbing a way of life. Apprenticeship programs are demanding, requiring years of patience, humility, and persistence. An apprentice may begin with simple tasks like cleaning and maintenance before being taught more complex techniques. Training programs can last anywhere from five to ten years or even a lifetime.

The Japanese are obsessed with cleanliness. They even manufacture self-cleaning public toilets.

The Japanese are also dedicated to cleanliness as a way of life. Cleanliness is part of their culture and identity. Cleanliness is evident in their habits and very obvious in such cultural practices, such as removing shoes indoors, students cleaning their schools, communal neighborhood clean-ups, and rigorous waste sorting. Cleanliness is not viewed as a chore, but rather as an act of respect for oneself, others, and the environment.

Watch this video:

In Japan, cleanliness isn’t just a duty it’s a reflection of their culture and identity.

#icmsinc #TomOkure #lifestyle #Japan

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